What to Wear for the Fitz Roy Hike: What I Wore, What I Packed and What I'd Change
Six days before we hiked to Laguna de los Tres, I stood in a hiking shop in Buenos Aires holding a pair of pants and genuinely panicking. Some people said the top was freezing, other people said you'd overheat on the climb, and I'm not a hiker, so I had no idea who to believe. It was the fourth shop we'd tried that day!
We did the Fitz Roy sunrise hike on 22 January 2026, leaving town at 1:45am and spending hours at the top in the cold. This is exactly what I wore, layer by layer, what I carried, what we ate, the one thing I'd never do again, and the three things I wish had been in my bag. If you're a normal person rather than a mountain goat, this is the list I'd have wanted.
What to Wear for the Fitz Roy Hike, My Quick Answer
Short answer is layers you can take off and put back on, warm hands and head, and proper shoes. You'll be warm on the walk in, sweaty on the climb and properly cold at the top, all in the same morning.
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| Layer | What I wore | Would I wear it again? |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Gym shorts and a crop top | Yes |
| Warm layer | A basic black thermal long sleeve | Yes, it was truly life saving |
| Legs | Fleece-lined hiking pants, bought in Buenos Aires | Yes |
| Wind | A windbreaker jacket | Yes |
| Extra warmth | A jumper, only worn at the very top | Yes |
| Head and hands | A beanie and gloves | Yes, plus hand warmers next time |
| Feet | Hiking socks and my New Balance 990s | Socks yes, sneakers absolutely not |
How Cold Is the Fitz Roy Hike?
It's colder than you think at the top and warmer than you think at the start, and that's the whole problem!
When we left El Chaltén at 1:45am I had my jumper tied around my waist because it honestly wasn't that cold, and about a kilometre in, layers were already coming off. The forecast had said around 10 to 12 degrees, but the last two hours of the walk up got really cold, and once we stopped at the lagoon and sat waiting for sunrise it was freezing, with my hands still cold inside my gloves.
So you're dressing for three different temperatures: the warm walk in, the sweaty climb, and the long cold sit at the top. That's why everyone says layers, and why I'm saying it too.
My Layers, From the Skin Out
Gym shorts and a crop top as base layers. I wore shorts under my hiking pants on purpose, so that if I got really hot I could strip down without stopping to change, and it sounds strange, but it's the most practical thing I did.
A basic black thermal long sleeve. Nothing fancy and nothing technical, just a plain thermal, and it was truly life saving, so if you only buy one thing for this hike, buy this!
Fleece-lined hiking pants. We'd wanted the convertible kind that unzip into shorts, but the ones we ended up with were lined with a bit of fleece and kept us warm without feeling thick. Mine are from a brand called E.L.T., and I sized up to a large because the smaller pair was ankle biting me, and you know, that's just not the vibe. I didn't want cold ankles! They came with a little belt, so the extra size wasn't a problem.
A windbreaker jacket. The wind breaks over the ridge at the top, and a thin waterproof shell stopped it going straight through everything else.
A jumper, for the top only. I carried it the whole way and only put it on when we were sitting at the lagoon, but I'd pack it again without a second thought.
A beanie and gloves. Both essential, and even with gloves my hands were still cold, which is why hand warmers are on my wish list below.
Hiking socks. Proper thick ones, which were the only genuinely technical thing on my body.
The Shoes I Regret
I hiked to Laguna de los Tres in my New Balance 990s, and please don't copy me.
They were fine on the easy first eight kilometres and they got me up the steep last climb, but coming down was another story. That final kilometre is loose, rocky and steep, and in daylight I was slipping all the time and had to go down at a literal snail's pace. Most people around us were wearing hiking boots or Salomons, and they were walking down while I was shuffling.
If you own hiking boots or trail runners with proper grip, wear them, and if you don't, this is the one thing I'd spend money on before the hike, ahead of any jacket.
What I Carried in My Bag
My bag was a WANDRD photography backpack, the one I travel with as my carry-on, because it opens flat and extends at the top. You don't need anything that specific, just something comfortable with room for a jumper and your snacks.
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| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Head torch | You're walking for over three hours in total darkness. Don't buy a cheap one, because we learnt the hard way: mine died at about 5 km and I finished on my phone torch |
| One water bottle each | Refilled from the rivers on the way up and down. The best water I've ever tasted |
| Snacks | See below |
| Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm | The sun is strong once it's up, and the wind dries your lips |
| Beanie, gloves, jumper | For the top |
| Phone with an offline map | We used Maps.me, which is free to download offline. AllTrails wanted us to pay |
| Camera and tripods | Daniel carried a Fujifilm camera and two tripods, one for the camera and one for the iPhone. Totally optional, completely worth it for us |
What We Ate on the Hike
We spent A$24.18 on hike snacks in El Chaltén the day before, and I honestly think we had the snacks down pat!
- Boiled eggs. My brilliant idea, and the main snack. Boil them the night before and carry them in a container. We ate them for breakfast at the top, looking at Fitz Roy.
- Rice cakes and a honey peanut spread.
- Two protein bars.
- Nuts, which turned out to be really good.
- Lollies. For the low moment at the top, which there definitely was.
- A protein yogurt each as a morning snack before we left. Fun fact: you can buy them in El Chaltén!
Then, when we got back to town twelve hours later, a steak sandwich and a full-sugar Coke from the restaurant across the road, and my god, did it hit the spot!
What I Wish I'd Packed
A travel towel and swimmers. People swim in the lagoon at the top, and while it would have been absolutely freezing, I'd still have loved to say I did it!
Hand warmers. The little packets you snap and put inside your gloves, because my hands never properly warmed up while we sat waiting for sunrise.
Hiking poles, even just one. The way down is where I'd have used it, and I really do think having one pole would have helped my knees and my confidence on the loose section.
Buying Hiking Clothes Before You Go
We bought almost everything in Buenos Aires before flying south, and I'd recommend buying in a big city if you can, but go in with a plan, because the shopping nearly broke us before the trip even started!
We went into three shops and came out with nothing. One wanted about $500 for a pair of pants, another about $100, and we didn't know whether we needed thick insulated jackets (which a lot of people recommend, and which are so annoying to travel with) or whether leggings and a windbreaker would do. As I said on camera: "It's quite hard to pick hiking clothes when you're not hikers."
The fourth shop was much more affordable. We each bought the same fleece-lined pants for 75,000 pesos, about A$77, along with thermal long sleeves, lightweight windbreakers and head torches, and we skipped the big jackets. Then Daniel picked up our last bits in El Calafate on the way through: gloves for about A$30 each and a beanie each. Prices change quickly in Argentina, so treat those as a guide rather than a quote.
If you'd rather not buy, there are outdoor clothing rental shops in El Calafate, and although we didn't rent, so I can't vouch for one, it's worth knowing they exist before you pay full price for something you'll wear once.
Where to Stay in El Chaltén for the Hike
Sleep at the north end of town, close to the trailhead, and somewhere with a kitchen for the eggs. We stayed at KUNTUR 2 Cabañas, a little cabin close to where you hike from.
KUNTUR 2 Cabañas
Our cabin, with a kitchen, a cosy sofa and dulce de leche waiting when we arrived.
Aparts Merkaba
Rated 9.5 from 169 reviews on Booking, about 540 metres from the trail.
Hostería El Puma
Rated 9.2 from 255 reviews, about 720 metres from the trail, with a fire in the lounge for afterwards.
The packing segment is in our vlog from 2:53, and the whole hike follows from 5:20.
For how the day itself goes, timings and how hard each part is, read my Fitz Roy sunrise hike guide.
Still planning? Here is our complete Patagonia planning guide and how the hike itself goes.
FAQs About What to Wear for the Fitz Roy Hike
What should you wear for the Fitz Roy hike?
Layers: a base layer you can strip down to, a thermal long sleeve, fleece-lined or warm hiking pants, a windbreaker, and a jumper for the top. Add a beanie, gloves, hiking socks and shoes with proper grip.
How cold is it at Laguna de los Tres?
In late January it was mild when we left town at 1:45am, really cold for the last two hours of the climb, and freezing while we waited for sunrise at the lagoon. My hands were cold even in gloves.
Can you do the Fitz Roy hike in sneakers?
You can, because I did, but I wouldn't again. I was slipping all the way down the steep final section. Hiking boots or trail shoes with real grip make the descent much easier.
What snacks should you take on the Fitz Roy hike?
We took boiled eggs, rice cakes, a honey peanut spread, nuts, two protein bars and lollies, for A$24.18. Boiled eggs were the best idea we had.
Do you need to carry a lot of water?
One bottle each was enough for us, because we refilled from the rivers on the way up and down.
Where should you buy hiking gear for Patagonia?
We bought our pants, thermals, windbreakers and head torches in Buenos Aires before flying south, and our gloves and beanies in El Calafate. There are also outdoor shops in El Chaltén and rental shops in El Calafate if you arrive without the right gear. Prices vary a lot, so try a few shops.
Final Thoughts: What I'd Wear Next Time
Exactly the same, with three changes: proper hiking shoes, hand warmers in my gloves, and swimmers in my bag. Everything else on this list earned its place, and that black thermal is coming with me on every cold trip from now on!
